Chapter 24, with allusions both to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple (vv 1-36), which happened in 70 C.E. (about twenty years before the Gospel was written), and to the end of the world (vv 37-51), was primarily intended to encourage Christians who were suffering rejection and persecution for the kingdom to be strong and persevering in faith. No matter what the present calamities may be, God’s justice will have the last word. We must be watchful, not so much for a future coming, as to capture the opportunities for making the justice of God’s kingdom a reality now in spite of obstacles, so that the present moment may give birth to the future and final fulfillment.

The parable of the liturgical reading (25:1-13) concentrates not so much on watchfulness as on the need for preparation, and must be understood in the light of the wedding customs of Jesus’ day. The marriage celebration was a long and festive ritual, centering on a solemn procession in which the groom led the bride from her family home into his own house, signifying the acceptance of one another as husband and wife. Lengthy discussion and negotiation between the groom and the bride’s parents would precede the procession, and often lasted well into the night. Thus the attendants would need torches to light the way, and could never be sure just when the whole affair would begin. A banquet lasting for days would be held in the groom’s house after the bridal party arrived.

Locking the doors at such a celebration (v 10) guarded against uninvited intruders — freeloaders, pickpockets, etc. — that might be attracted to such a feast. Securing the heavy doors of a wealthy person’s house was not an easy task, and nobody would want to open them again except for an emergency (or perhaps a very important guest). Any ordinary guest who neglected to arrive on time could not expect to be admitted.

The attendants in the bridal procession represent the Church on pilgrimage to the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. Mere membership in the Church does not insure salvation. Faith must be kept alive, nourished, and growing — it cannot be allowed to drift or be taken for granted. The wise keep their goal ever in mind, and plan their actions accordingly.

The book of Wisdom is a summary of late Jewish religious thought, written in Greek about a hundred years before Christ by an anonymous author who enhanced his words by attributing them to Solomon, the ancient king (970-930 B.C.E.) who was characterized by wisdom (see 1 Kg 3). This passage beautifully emphasizes the goodness of God in sharing his own wisdom with all who seek it. Wisdom is depicted not as the goal of a difficult search, but as actually going out to seek those who will open their hearts to her. Wisdom, which means seeing and judging all things as they really are, brings true freedom (v 15).

Wisdom awakens a deep hunger for God. The wise seek the Giver, rather than rest in possessing the gifts. Response: "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God."

Paul wrote this letter so soon after the time of Jesus (51-52 C.E.) that it was still possible for all Christian converts to look forward to the second coming of Christ in their own lifetimes. Jesus was expected to appear at any moment and gather his faithful to be with him. Paul had exhorted (as had Jesus) to daily vigilance and preparation. But the question arose, how could the dead who were no longer here be gathered with Christ? Paul’s answer was that the living would have no advantage over the dead because the resurrection of Christ is the pledge and the pattern of the resurrection of the dead Christians. However, his thinking is not so refined about the details as it will be later (see 1 Cor 15, written about five years afterward). The "scenario" (vv 16-17) should not be taken too literally because it reflects an overly materialistic popular concept of Christ’s coming. The important element of this teaching is the implication of "being with Christ" — it involves sharing not only his company, but his very life.

1. What is wisdom? Think about it long and hard — don’t be content with just a dictionary definition or a "pat" answer.

2. In the same way, play with the meaning of prudence. Start with the dictionary, but don’t end there.